‘It was humiliating’: Plaintiff in whistleblower testifies about demotion

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Testimony in the lawsuit filed by former Kansas City Communications Director Chris Hernandez entered its second week Monday in the Jackson County Courthouse. Hernandez spent much of the day on the stand.

The case centers on whether City Manager Brian Platt suggested that the communications staff lie to the media during a meeting in 2022.

The lawsuit accuses Platt of intentionally lying and exaggerating to the media and the public. Hernandez claims in the suit that he was demoted and transferred to another department when he pushed back against Platt’s policy.

In testimony Monday morning, the January 2022 meeting was brought up again. Hernandez repeated the same story that other witnesses testified about—that Platt had asked his communications team why couldn’t they lie to the media. Hernandez also repeated the story that Platt talked about the mayor in New Jersey who would make up numbers on the fly and was never asked about them.

In cross examination later in the day, the defense attorney asked Hernandez if Platt had, in fact, directly told his staff to lie. Hernandez answered, “No.”

The attorney then asked, “He did not say he was planning on making up numbers, did he?”

“I took it that way,” said Hernandez.

Hernandez also testified about the city’s “Heart Carts” program. The city provided carts to houseless people so they had someplace to store their belongings when it wasn’t practical to take all their belongings with them.

The city used the same carts that are used for trash collection and recycling.

The public response to the “heart carts” was outrage. Many commentators on social media were critical, claiming the containers sent the message that all the contents were trash.

Hernandez testified that Platt told him to turn off commenting. He testified that he told Platt it wasn’t a good idea and that the city should not delete comments because it didn’t like what people said.

The city’s attorney asked Hernandez if he ever reported his concerns to the city’s Ethics Hotline, or to the professional organization of city managers, or the city council. Hernandez answered that he had not reported his concerns to anyone before filing the lawsuit.

Hernandez testified about events leading up to his demotion, and subsequent removal from the communications department.

He said months before his demotion, he had a performance review and was given very positive . He testified that neither he, nor any of his staff had been disciplined prior to his demotion.

Hernandez had a meeting with Platt in January. It was then that Platt told him that he believed the two were not “jiving.” At that time, Platt said he wanted to make Melissa Kozakiewicz, the assistant city manager, the communications director, and that perhaps, Hernandez could do something else in the department.

Hernandez testified that he made two suggestions to Platt for positions, but Platt rejected both of them.

Hernandez said that Platt suggested he look outside the communications team.

“We just aren’t aligned on vision,” Hernandez testified Platt told him. Hernandez said it was clear that Platt wanted him to leave.

When he was asked why he didn’t look to the private sector, Hernandez said, “My heart was still with the city.” He also said that he was very close to qualifying for the city pension.

He called city department directors checking to see if there were any open positions that suited his skill set. Hernandez said it was “humiliating” to make those calls. According to Hernandez, Platt provided no collaboration in helping Hernandez secure a new position.

Hernandez eventually took a job within the Civil Rights Office of the city and although the salary remained the same, he testified that the transition was “traumatic.”

“I was in my dream job as Director of Communications,” Hernandez testified.

He said he had been in a high-profile, busy work life at a high level and now was working in a cubicle in the corner, in a department that didn’t get a lot of attention.

He said he wasn’t very busy. His main job was working on a report for a councilwoman.

In cross examination, Hernandez was asked about the meeting with Platt where he told him he would be removed as Director of Communications. Hernandez recorded that meeting, which was against city policy. The recording was played for the jurors.

After one year in the Civil Rights Office, Hernandez retired from the city. He was 58 1/2 years old at the time. His attorneys went through some numbers and told the jurors that leaving then, instead of at the age of 60, lost Hernandez a total of $228,000 in salary and pension income.

Late in the day, Hernandez’s husband, Paul Monteil, took the stand. He testified that while Hernandez was working with Sly James as mayor and Troy Schulte as city manager, he felt valued and “he was a respected member of the management team for the city.”

“Chris loved the job at the city,” testified Monteil.

Monteil said he was always promoting the city during their travels.

But, Monteil testified things changed for Chris when the Brian Platt came in. After the “lying comment,” Hernandez became moody, irritable and sad.

“I could see Chris was suffering,” said Monteil.

At the end of Monteil’s testimony, the plaintiff rested its case. More witnesses for the defense are expected to testify on Tuesday.

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